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J. AUDLEY MAXWELL, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. Letters Patent No. 70,875,dated November 12, 1867.

IMPROVED RAILWAY SUPERSTRUOTURE.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I

Be it known that I, J. A. MAXWELL, of Savannah, in the county ofChatham, and State of Georgia, have invented a new and usefulimprovement in Railway Superstructures and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description-thereof, which willenable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming-part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to an improvement in railroad: superstructure,and consists in a combination of the cross-tie and stringer'systems oflaying the rails, whereby the advantages of both are secured. In theaccompanying drawings I I i Figure 1 is a top view of my improvedrailroad superstructure.

Figure 2, a cross-section thereof at line a: at.

Figure 3, an end view of the joint with end of stringer resting inplace.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A A A is the joint-tic, inverted T-shaped, and'I prefer making thebottom width three times the width of each of the three top surfaces,which may all be made of equal width, butthese proportions may bevaried. 'B B are other cross-ties, C C string pieces, the ends whereofrest upon the upper surface of the bottom part of the joint-tie A, thetop surface being flush with the topmost surface of the joint-tie. Iprefer to place the joint J of the rail R in the middle of the joint-tieA, that is, overlapping the ends of the stringer C, in which case thechair H, made wider than the top of the joint-tie, will overlap the endof the stringer, protecting the joint from the rain, and with the ironknees K keeping the stringer in place. The knees are confined upon theties by spikes, but I prefer that they should not'be spiked to thestringer 0, against which the vertical surfaces of the knees are made topress tightly, or the knees may be dispensed with on the intermediateties BB, in which case the stringer will be pinned to them in the usualmanner. The iron rails may also be made to meet at the middle instead ofoverlapping the ends of the stringers, the chair being removed to thejoint, and the-rail at its centre pinned to the joint-tie by spikes inthe usual manner. I

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- In theconstruction and arrangement 0f the superstructure of railroads, thecombination of the tics A and B, string pieces 0, chair H, and knees K,in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this fourth day ofMarch, 1867.

' I J. A. MAXWELL. Witnesses:

Lawnnncn J. OONNELL, L.,H. BRYANT,

